Nationals television analyst Rob Dibble was initially said to be on a two-game “vacation” after telling Stephen Strasburg to “suck it up” and “stop crying” about the elbow injury that proved to require Tommy John surgery, but he wasn’t on the air for either game this weekend and now MASN has announced that he won’t be with the team on their six-day road trip that begins tonight in Florida.
Asked to provide further details, MASN spokesperson Todd Webster said: “He asked for and was granted a few days off. Beyond that, I don’t have a comment.”
I’ve already written plenty about Dibble’s comments, so I won’t rehash that now, but suffice it to say that every Nationals fan I know is hoping they’ve seen and heard the last of him on the team’s broadcasts. And that really has very little to do with what he said about Strasburg.
Ray Knight has been subbing for Dibble and, while I’ve not tuned in to hear him yet, I can say with the utmost confidence that he’s a massive upgrade. If a good, well-liked announcer says something stupid, perhaps you give him a pass. If a terrible, almost universally disliked announcer says something stupid, just weeks after also saying something stupid … well, why not give Nationals fans some good news for once and drop him?

Harvey, 29, spent 2018 with the Mets and Reds, posting an aggregate 4.94 ERA with a 131/37 K/BB ratio in 155 innings. He started off poorly with the Mets, so they traded him to the Reds in early May. He pitched much better in Cincinnati.

Harvey should have a spot secured at the back of the Angels’ rotation, but health and performance can always change that leading up to Opening Day.